| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Firescrew, Mt. Cardigan, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Manning, Mowglis, Clark, Alexandria, Holt |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, February 22, 2026 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Road access was mostly clear of snow/ice, I used 4WD just to play it safe. Parking lot was clear, although quite busy and was full by the time we finished the hike. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Some blowdowns or leaning trees which we were able to get around. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Only encountered a few doggies and they were friendly. |
|
 | Bugs: |
None |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
Beautiful bluebird day, temps in the 20s and sunny. Lots of people were out today on the trails, especially backcountry skiers. We had calm conditions until we ascended Firescrew and Cardigan; the winds picked up once we approached the summits and were sustained 15-20 mph. Trail conditions called for snowshoes, the trails are too soft for barebooting and microspikes. Postholes were quite abundant on the summit in deeper snow sections. Microspikes and crampons could be useful up on the summit of Cardigan as there was some ice and snow-covered ice. It was nothing our snowshoes couldn't handle. There was also bare rock on the summit of Cardigan where the snow and ice has melted. Windy conditions caused us to lose the trail when we went to go down Clark, as the trail was windswept. We used GPS to stay on course and ascend safely. Butt sliding and sledding was pretty epic on the way back down. |
|
 | Name: |
busybee |
|
 | E-Mail: |
jmfldep2018@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2026-02-22 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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